Family Office Management Course

Lesson 1 • Single vs. Multi-Family Office Models

Contrasts SFO and MFO structures across cost, control, and service scope. Connects structural choice to family size, privacy needs, and long-term scalability.

Lesson 2 • Defining the Family Office Mandate

Articulates the scope of services, mission, and boundaries of the family office. A clear mandate prevents scope creep and aligns staff expectations with family goals.

Lesson 3 • Staffing Models and Organisational Design

Maps roles, reporting lines, and competency requirements for family office teams. Proper org design ensures operational resilience and appropriate specialisation.

Lesson 4 • Regulatory and Compliance Baseline

Identifies the regulatory obligations that shape family office operations across jurisdictions. Compliance awareness prevents structural errors that trigger costly remediation.

Lesson 1 • Family Meeting Facilitation and Dynamics

Provides tools for structuring productive family meetings that advance governance objectives. Effective facilitation transforms family meetings from conflict zones into strategic forums.

Lesson 2 • Next-Generation Wealth Education

Designs financial literacy and stewardship programmes for rising generation family members. Educated heirs are more likely to preserve and grow inherited wealth responsibly.

Lesson 3 • Ownership Transition and Buy-Sell Agreements

Structures ownership transfer mechanisms for family business interests and shared assets. Clear buy-sell terms prevent forced liquidations and protect minority family members.

Lesson 4 • Family Constitution and Wealth Philosophy

Guides creation of a family constitution that encodes values, vision, and wealth purpose. A written philosophy reduces generational conflict and anchors long-term decision-making.

Lesson 1 • Family Office Technology Stack

Evaluates portfolio management, CRM, document management, and reporting platforms. Technology selection determines operational efficiency and data quality across the office.

Lesson 2 • Outsourcing vs. Insourcing Decisions

Applies a structured framework to determine which functions to outsource versus build internally. Correct sourcing decisions optimise cost, quality, and operational risk simultaneously.

Lesson 3 • Accounting, Reporting, and Financial Controls

Establishes consolidated accounting systems and reporting frameworks across family entities. Accurate consolidated reporting is the foundation of informed family wealth decisions.

Lesson 4 • Data Management and Privacy Protocols

Establishes data governance, classification, and privacy standards for sensitive family information. Data discipline protects family privacy and ensures regulatory compliance.

Lesson 1 • Tax-Loss Harvesting and Portfolio Tax Management

Applies systematic tax-loss harvesting and gain deferral techniques at the portfolio level. Active tax management meaningfully improves after-tax returns over long horizons.

Lesson 2 • Wealth Transfer Planning Techniques

Covers gifting strategies, intra-family loans, and transfer vehicles that shift wealth efficiently. Transfer planning reduces estate concentration and funds next-generation liquidity.

Lesson 3 • Tax-Efficient Entity Structuring

Analyses holding company, trust, and partnership structures for tax optimisation. Entity choice determines the long-run after-tax compounding rate of family wealth.

Lesson 4 • Charitable Planning and Philanthropy Vehicles

Evaluates donor-advised funds, private foundations, and charitable trusts as planning tools. Philanthropy vehicles simultaneously achieve tax efficiency and family legacy objectives.

Lesson 1 • Investment Policy Statement Development

Teaches construction of a binding IPS that encodes risk tolerance, return objectives, and constraints. The IPS anchors all portfolio decisions and manager mandates.

Lesson 2 • Manager Selection and Due Diligence

Establishes a repeatable process for identifying, evaluating, and monitoring external managers. Rigorous due diligence protects capital and ensures mandate alignment.

Lesson 3 • Alternative Asset Integration

Evaluates private equity, real assets, hedge funds, and private credit for family portfolios. Alternatives offer return enhancement and diversification unavailable in public markets.

Lesson 4 • Asset Allocation Frameworks

Applies strategic and tactical allocation methodologies to multigenerational balance sheets. Allocation decisions drive the majority of long-run portfolio outcomes.

Lesson 1 • Cybersecurity and Digital Asset Protection

Identifies cyber threats specific to family offices and implements protective protocols. Family offices are high-value targets requiring institutional-grade digital defences.

Lesson 2 • Insurance Planning and Coverage Optimisation

Evaluates life, liability, property, and specialty insurance needs for high-net-worth families. Proper coverage prevents catastrophic wealth destruction from insurable events.

Lesson 3 • Reputational and Operational Risk Controls

Manages risks arising from family public profile, staff misconduct, and process failures. Operational controls prevent the internal errors that erode trust and trigger litigation.

Lesson 4 • Concentration Risk and Liquidity Management

Addresses single-stock, single-asset, and illiquidity risks endemic to family wealth. Concentration management balances tax efficiency against catastrophic loss potential.

Lesson 1 • Family Business Governance Structures

Designs board composition, committee structures, and accountability systems for family firms. Strong governance separates ownership from management and professionalises decision-making.

Lesson 2 • Capital Allocation within Family Enterprises

Applies disciplined capital allocation frameworks to reinvestment, dividends, and acquisitions. Capital discipline in family businesses directly determines long-run wealth creation.

Lesson 3 • Exit Strategy and Liquidity Events

Evaluates strategic sale, IPO, recapitalisation, and ESOP as exit pathways for family businesses. Exit planning maximises after-tax proceeds and preserves family relationships.

Lesson 4 • Direct Investment and Co-Investment Programmes

Builds a framework for evaluating and executing direct private equity investments. Direct investing reduces fee drag and builds proprietary deal flow for the family office.

Lesson 1 • Private Foundation Management

Covers governance, grantmaking, compliance, and investment of private foundation assets. Effective foundation management amplifies impact while avoiding costly regulatory violations.

Lesson 2 • Integrating Philanthropy with Wealth Strategy

Aligns philanthropic vehicles with estate planning, tax strategy, and investment policy. Integration prevents siloed decision-making that leaves value and impact on the table.

Lesson 3 • Philanthropic Strategy Development

Builds a theory of change and grantmaking strategy aligned to family values and goals. Strategic philanthropy maximises social impact and deepens family purpose and cohesion.

Lesson 4 • Impact Measurement and Reporting

Applies standardised frameworks to measure, verify, and communicate philanthropic impact. Rigorous measurement enables learning, accountability, and credible external reporting.